Coming from a northwest suburb of Illinois, Naperville, Devyn Tenny is an outgoing sophomore public relations major, who joined the Illinois State University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America this year and currently serves as a member of the Development Committee. As a first semester Illinois State University transfer student, Tenny who is involved with student organizations including ISU PRSSA and Epsilon Sigma Alpha, a service and leadership sorority, and is looking to dive right in and make a difference here at ISU.

How would you describe your experience as a Public Relations major so far?I have learned a lot of the basic fundamentals of the public relations field, mainly from classes I am taking such as Introduction to Public Relations with Professor Lamonica, as well as through workshops and other opportunities ISU PRSSA has made available to me during Chapter. I also have been able to find out new facts about the field, such as the different avenues of public relations , history, and more.

Tell me about your experience as a transfer student at Illinois State University.I have had a lot of positive experiences so far. I really believe that ISU has done a great job at having a variety of programs and events set up to make new students feel welcome as a first year student. I have been able to meet all kinds of people from all different majors from all over the state of Illinois, and after experiencing things like Festival ISU, I am excited to get even more involved next semester.What do you do in your free time?I like to mainly relax, whether it be through taking naps after long days or just watching some of my favorite television shows or movies on Netflix. I also like to go to the Campus Recreation Center in my free time just to get my daily workout in through weight lifting, for example, but I still utilize the convenient Watterson Towers gym area if I do not feel like making the hike across the quad!

What is your biggest pet peeve?I think my biggest one would be rude people in general.Do you have any tips on how to deal with stressful times in life, whether it be academically or in other situations?I would say to just take a deep breath and realize that it is just life, and that you should not take it so seriously. With that, some ways I cope with stressful times are to exercise, just to clear my mind, listen to my favorite music, and just find positive aspects in all kinds of other things in life.

What is something that amazes you?I would say other people in this world amaze me. From talking with people here in Bloomington-Normal and throughout my life, hearing others’ stories and their life experiences always interest me, and the information I learn from others just brings inspiration into my own life.

What are your plans after graduation? I hope to have a job in public relations, but I am currently unsure of a specific one at this time. However, I know I would want to be in an urban environment- such as New York City or Chicago.